


Maybe They're Seein', Somethin' We Don't Darlin'

by IBoatedHere



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 15:51:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4269210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IBoatedHere/pseuds/IBoatedHere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kink Meme Fill On LJ: People assume constantly that Ben and Caleb are in a romantic relationship, when they aren't. Until they are ;-)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maybe They're Seein', Somethin' We Don't Darlin'

**Author's Note:**

> For this one I need you all to imagine the late 1700's as a time where Ben and Caleb's relationship would not only be accepted but also encouraged. It's a much happier place. 
> 
>  
> 
> Title from Bonnie Raitt's Something to Talk About because I'm terrible at coming up with titles.
> 
> Happy 4th of July, American readers!

“Slow down, Benjamin.” His father says and Ben stops shoveling his dinner into his mouth. 

He knows Caleb is waiting for him by the river. They’re going to go fishing. 

“What’s your hurry tonight?”

“He’s going to meet his future husband.” Samuel teases and Ben kicks him beneath the table. His feet barely reach. 

“Stop it, the both of you.” Their mother scolds.

“Caleb is not my future husband.”

“But you knew exactly who I was talking about.”

“Ma.” Ben whines. She is usually the one to take his side. 

“Sam, don’t tease your brother.” She says and Ben sticks his tongue out at him. “Ben, finish that last bite and you can go.”

Ben jams the final potato into his mouth and takes off.

“Tell my future son in law that I said hello.” She calls after him.

Ben slams the door shut. 

 

The teasing from Abe and Anna is relentless. 

Abe sits cross-legged in the grass and Anna floats around them collecting flowers for her mother’s table. 

Caleb lies on his back next to Ben chewing on the end of a blade of grass.

“You two can just admit it you know.” Abe taunts. “You can tell us.” 

Ben throws a handful of grass at Abe and Abe laughs.

“Just tell us the date of your wedding.” He demands.

“I’ll pick flowers for it.” Anna chimes in. She throws a handful of daisies between them.

“We’re not getting married. I’ve already told you this.”

“Come on now, Benjamin. Dishonesty doesn’t look good on you.”

“I bet Caleb thinks everything looks good on him.” Anna mocks.

Caleb springs up to chase her and Ben pushes Abe over into the dirt. 

 

Sometimes Ben waits at the docks for Caleb’s ship to come in. 

He usually brings a book and sits with his feet dangling above the water. 

Caleb hears about it from the men on the ship. 

He gets elbows to the ribs and people tousling his hair. There are comments about how fair and pretty Ben is and how much Caleb must have missed him, how happy he must be to get back to him and what they’re going to do once they’re alone. 

Caleb is certainly not a prude but by the time the ship is docked his face is beet red. 

Caleb steps off the ship and makes a beeline for Ben who has no idea about the verbal attack on his virtue that occurred on the boat just moments before. 

Ben is innocently waving at the men when Caleb grabs him by the elbow and pulls him away.

“Why is your face so red?” He questions. “You’re not going to introduce me?”

“Absolutely not.” Caleb practically throws him off the dock. “Let’s go.” 

 

Nathan Hale is tall, handsome, and smart. He and Ben become quick friends and after a few drinks Ben entertains the thought of becoming more than friends with him. It takes him a few months to work up the courage to act on it. 

They’re walking home from dinner, talking quietly about their classes, their shoulders brushing as they move. The air is humid and sticky and Ben can see sweat dotting Nathan’s hairline. When Nathan pauses at his door to unlock it Ben leans in and kisses him.

It’s brief. Nathan puts his hands on Ben’s chest and softly pushes him back. Ben is mortified. 

“I’m so sorry. I just thought….maybe I misread this. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“No it’s okay.”

“It’s not. I’ve never been this embarrassed.”

“Please don’t be.” Nathan puts his hands on Ben’s shoulders in comfort. “You didn’t misread anything. I would love to. But…” He pauses and rubs the back of his head with his hand; the other is still heavy on Ben’s shoulder. “I don’t want to step on any toes.”

Ben’s eyes narrow. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh Ben, you have to know.”

“I don’t.” 

Nathan tilts his head to the side to study Ben. “It’s always Caleb this, and Caleb that.”

“Jesus, no.” Ben steps away and jams his fingers through his hair in frustration. “There is nothing going on with him.”

“Did there used to be because the way that you talk about him….”

“Nothing has ever happened with him. He is my friend.”

“You don’t talk about him like a friend.”

“Well that’s all that he is. I’m so tired of people thinking that there’s more.”

“People have said this to you in the past?”

“Our whole lives. No matter what we say nobody believes it.”

Nathan shakes his head and opens the door. “If people have been saying this for your whole life maybe it’s time for you to start listening.” He steps into his room. “Goodnight, Benjamin.” 

He closes the door behind him and Ben walks home alone.

 

He watches Caleb ride off to meet with Abe from the steps of Washington’s estate. 

Ben has never been prouder of Caleb. He’s riding into enemy territory for the betterment of the country. There’s nothing more honorable than that. 

But tucked somewhere behind the pride lies worry. He is riding into enemy territory. He has absolute faith in Caleb’s abilities but there’s no true guarantee that he’ll come back. He could be captured and executed and Ben could never even know it. 

As Caleb turns the corner on the road it hits him that this could be the last time he ever sees him. 

He feels like he needs to sit down when a heavy hand lands on his shoulder. 

“Lieutenant Brewster is a brave man.” Washington tells him. “I’m confident he’ll return unscathed but your worry is understandable. I know Martha worries about me constantly.”

Ben sighs. He never thought these rumors would follow him into the Continental Army. 

 

Ben is in the boat next to Caleb’s as they sail away from Setauket. 

He watches him intently. Caleb is trying not to cry as he looks down at the body of his uncle. Ben wants to jump ship and climb into the boat with him so he can tell him that it’s okay to cry. He knows that if their roles were reversed and it was his father that had been killed Caleb wouldn’t leave his side. 

They bury Lucas Brewster beneath an apple tree in full blossom. Ben’s father says a few words and Caleb stays stoic. Ben can’t tell if it’s sadness or silent rage or a mix of both and that’s concerning. He’s usually able to read him so well.

After the service as the men begin to head back to the boats Ben tries to talk to him. He reaches out to touch his arm but Caleb walks past him without saying a word. 

Ben feels helpless and looks to his father. 

“What do I do?” He asks weakly.

“Give it time. He needs time.”

“I hate seeing him like this.” Ben admits quietly and Nathaniel takes a deep breath.

“There is nothing more painful than seeing someone you love in pain.”

Ben wants to fight that. He’s not in love with Caleb, at least not in the way that his father is implying, but right now he doesn’t have it in him.

He lets his father guide him with an arm around his shoulders back to the boats.

 

Ben meets Martha Washington just as the leaves are beginning to change at Valley Forge. 

He thinks she’s lovely and she must find him charming because she walks around the garden with him talking non-stop. 

If he’s being completely honest he’s not listening as well as he could be. There’s so much to think about with the seasons changing. The fighting will likely pick up just before the colder weather hits and Ben needs to work on new ways to get intelligence from Abe while there is a couple of feet of snow on the ground. 

However, when Martha brings up Washington in his younger years Ben pays close attention. He finds it fascinating. 

“I knew as soon as I met him I would marry him.” She laughs. “It was immediate. We were just like you and your young man.”

Ben stops walking and it takes Martha a few steps to notice.

“My young man?”

“Yes. I met him the other day. He’s…..refreshing. He’s certainly not afraid to speak his mind. I found him charming.”

“Forgive me; you’re speaking of Caleb Brewster?”

“Yes.” She brightens. “Full beard and full of life. He’s really very fond of you. He talked about you constantly. I felt like I knew you before I even met you.” 

“He’s not…we’re not…” Ben stutters. “It’s not like that with us. We’re friends.” 

Martha smiles and pats Ben’s arms gently. “If you say so, dear.”

She turns and keeps walking and Ben follows after. 

 

Bradford is a problem. He’s mostly Ben’s problem so that makes him Caleb’s problem as well. 

“I’d be careful who you say that around. It sounds like treason. They’ve hung men for less.”

“That’s exactly what your boy said to me. He’s awful tense about the whole thing. It sounds to me like you’re not doing your job properly. If he were going to be with me I’d make sure he was real relaxed.”

Caleb knows he’s outnumbered and outranked when he hits Bradford and he gets his ass beat into the ground but it’s worth it. 

 

Caleb is a little drunk. He’s still on his own two feet but when he tries to sit down on the tavern steps next to Ben he stumbles and winds up on his knees in front of him instead.

“Careful.” Ben steadies him then drags him to his feet again. “It’s things like that that make people think we’re together.”

Caleb smiles and finally manages to sit down beside him. He takes another drink. “Does that bother you?”

Ben shrugs. “Not anymore. I’m used to it.”

“It never bothered me. I was always flattered that people would think that we were together.”

“I was never ashamed of you, Caleb. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Oh I know. I know that you’d be lucky to have me.” Caleb jokes.

“I would.” He jokes back but then his face turns serious. “I would.” He repeats and suddenly he’s not joking. He’s looking down at Caleb who is looking up at him with soft eyes and parted lips and he knows that this is what everyone else has been seeing all these years. 

Caleb tastes like ale and years of wanting when Ben finally kisses him. He drops the mug he has been holding and runs his hands across Ben’s jaw then into his hair as he kisses back.

This is what they’ve been missing out on all these years and as Caleb surges forward and presses Ben’s back into the step behind him it’s clear that he’s trying to make up for lost time all at once. 

Caleb is climbing onto Ben’s lap when the tavern door swings open and Mr. Sackett steps out. They spring apart and Sackett laughs.

“Don’t let me interrupt you, boys.” He steps around them. “Carry on now. And might I add.” He shouts over his shoulder as he walks away. “It’s about damn time.”

They’re both smiling as they kiss again.


End file.
